Reference no: EM131408330

1. Is Mookie truly "right" in what he does to Sal's Pizzeria?  Why or why not?  Next, how does the cinematography contribute to social statement Lee is making?  Give an example.

2. Comment to following paragraph. (Short comment, one paragraph)

Doing the right thing in this situation is hard to define. However, I think Mookie did do the right thing in this situation because he essentially saved Sal's life by proving a different target that people could take their frustration out on. Sal may not have liked his pizzeria being destroyed by people due to Mookie starting it off by throwing the furniture through the front window. However, doing this action made people stop putting attention on Sal and his family so in the end it possibly saved his life. I think the defining characteristic of this film is the definition of doing the right thing, since different viewpoints lead to different definitions about what the right thing really is. 

The cinematography used in the film is really good. One example of this is when Sal is arguing with one of the Mookie's friends and they are face to face to the point that Sal uses a derogatory word for black people. I think that this shows the racial tension that existed within the area that Spike Lee was trying to portray. The use of the focus of close ups, but also of the expanded looks helps gain the individual and systematic racism that blacks faced during this time period and even today.